Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama today said it was a contradiction that Indians were indulging in "unethical" practises like corruption despite being religious-minded.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Tuesday said it was a contradiction that Indians were indulging in "unethical" practises like corruption despite being religious-minded.

Indians are "highly religious-minded" and it is very sad that corruption is prevalent in this country, he said while denouncing the menace.

"I recently went to Ladakh and someone told me for example if government gives them Rs. 100, only Rs. 20 reach them. Rest 80% disappears. This is very sad. Indians are religious-minded people and they fear god," he said at a function at the Ramakrishna Mission in New Delhi.

When poverty remains a major issue in the country, corruption is not acceptable and everyone should think on this count, he said.

"It is a big contradiction. On one hand they pray in the morning and through the day they do corruption. This is not done. When you deny god and deny spirituality then at least one can understand," he said.